We're here!!!!

we arrived in Grenada on Tuesday..... after about 30 hours of traveling. but it was worth it.
I'll try to briefly describe the journey. mostly for my own benefit.... because it was such a long, yet quick experience I don't want to forget anything later on.

- woke up at 5am Monday morning with a toothache throbbing in my head. '
-went to the dentist at 8am and got a shot of novacain that instantly took away the pain, was told that I'd need it pulled or a root canal, post, and crown. mind you I have no dental insurance and the last time I had a root canal WITH dental insurance it still cost $800... lets just say I wasn't blessed with healthy teeth, despite my brushing efforts, thus the tooth had to be pulled. SO, I had a prescription called in to walmart in Jackson, OH- on the route to the airport.
- left our house at about 10am.... by way of my Dad's 4wheel drive truck... because there was 6 inches of snow and ice and my mom's car cannot make it up the hill.... and all 4 of us, Me, Lee, Mom, and Dad cannot all fit in the truck at once.... Lee rode in the back with our luggage.
-had to stop at the Pedro post office so my dad could pick up a package.... which turned out to be rocks.
-stopped in Jackson to get my antibiotics and pain pills
-made it to the Columbus, OH airport just in time
-got our luggage through without having to pay overage fees
-left at 2:30pm flew on the smallest plane ever to LaGuardia airport in New York, NY
-saw the statue of liberty briefly from the air, and saw the amazing skyline of that incredible city
-met my cousin Liz, who lives in New Jersey, because she offered to give us a tour of the city!
-drove to my cousin Rick's apartment in Manhattan so he could watch Liz's baby Leahn
-fell in love with his apartment! it was soooooo new york. i loved it
- went/saw everywhere. ny ballet, opera house, time square, rockefeller center, cbs, nbc, radio city music hall, wall street, ground zero, statue of liberty....
-went to JFK airport to leave for Trinidad at 1am
-started to feel sick in the middle of the night b/c I hadn't eaten much and I got up and vomited in the men's bathroom... b/c the ladies was occupied.
-the plane landed, and it hit me again! I had to throw up... but there was no where to go! you know how when the planes land and everyone gets up at once to get their carryons? and the aisle are blocked.... and yet it gets worse. no barf bags! i attempted to throw up in the plastic wrap that the pillows come wrapped in but it leaked alllll over me. my lap was full of vomit. and i started to cry... i couldn't help it. i was so miserable. then the male flight attendant came b/c we were the last ones on the plane and asked what the problem was... and the said "why didn't you use the bag" BECAUSE THERE WAS NO BAG! ugh. so then i had to walk off the plane crying like a dummy with puke soaked jeans.
-luckily there was a bathroom near by and i went in and washed my jeans... but then they were wet. and i couldn't get close enough to the hand dryer to dry them with them on.... so i tied my jacket around my waist like a dork, to avoid looking like i peed my pants... when really i had just puked my pants.
-got through customs in Trinidad with our nearly 200lbs of luggage at about 7am.
-we were soooooooo tired.
-and because we live in such a small world, my sister in law's parents live in Trinidad! so her Mom, Sucheta, and sister Supriya Endigeri came to meet us for breakfast! it was so nice to see a familiar face.... even if I hadn't seen Sucheta since 1992 and I had never met Supriya.
-we had a traditional Trinidad breakfast....kinda
-and they took us out on a tour of the island! i was surprised by the mountains... it's really beautiful there. but there is also LOTS of traffic. and they drive on the left side of the road.
-we also went to a mall where they surprised me by buying me a beautiful necklace and earrings! i thought we were picking it out as a gift for their other sister's wedding anniversary, and it was actually for me! i love it. i'll post a picture of it someday.
-we got back to the airport around 11 for our flight to Grenada at 2!
-we got really lucky sneaking through with our carryon's that weighed nearly 30-40 lbs... when Liat Airlines max is 15! we were good.
-on the plane the overhead bins were soooooo small. there was NO possible way our duffel bags were going to fit... so Lee stuck his between his legs and put a magazine over his lap to cover it up, and it worked! amazing.
-it was just about a 30 minute flight to Grenada.... on a plane with propellers. it was soooo loud
-we arrived at about 3.... got 2 of our 3 suitcases (not bad compared to some people though)
-went through customs again. paid a duty on our laptops
-and TA DA walked out the airport doors into paradise
-took a taxi to campus and directly to our apartment
-dug through the luggage to find out sheets
-made the bed and fell instantly asleep for the rest of the day.
-poor Lee was left to figure everything out on his own.... he woke me up that night with a grilled cheese sandwich he bought so I could take my pills.... and then we went to bed for the rest of the night.

Fortunately things have gotten much much better and I will describe our first week here later on.... for now we are off to go hiking!